keeping
Americannoun
-
agreement or conformity in things or elements associated together.
His actions are not in keeping with his words.
- Synonyms:
- harmony, congruity, consistency
-
the act of a person or thing that keeps; observance, custody, or care.
- Synonyms:
- guardianship, charge, protection
-
maintenance or keep.
-
holding, reserving, or retaining.
noun
-
conformity or harmony (esp in the phrases in or out of keeping )
-
charge or care
valuables in the keeping of a bank
Synonym Usage
See custody.
Etymology
Origin of keeping
First recorded in 1250–1300, keeping is from the Middle English word keping. See keep, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But I just feel it's going to be a team who are really good at keeping the ball and that points me in the direction of Spain instead.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Mayor Patrick Collins sees the boom as critical to keeping young people from fleeing Wyoming.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
But Zegna has stayed on course, keeping its identity clear, rather than pushing to be trendy.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Depending on his health at that time, it may still be worth keeping the policy.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
“And logging the details isn’t complicated. Do I need to remind you about what happened to some of your canoes before you hired me to start keeping track of them?”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
